Wagon-step



me Medel.)

' O.'P. THORNTON. 8v W. H. MOODY.

WAGON STEP. l

Ne. 599,666. Petented Peb. 22, 1696.

UNITED STATES PATENT EETOE.

CHARLES P. THORNTON AND WILLIAM H. MOODY, OF MAGNOLIA, ARKAN- SAS,ASSIGNORS TO SAID THORNTON, AND J.

OF PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

E. LE BosoUET AND L. ROTH,

WAGON-STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,666, dated February22, 1898.

Application filed March 10, 1897.

T all whom, it muy concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES P. THORN- 'roN and WILLIAM H. MOODY,citizens of the United States, residing at Magnolia, in the county ofColumbia and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and usefulWagon-Step, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wagon-steps.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction ofwagon-steps and to provide portable ones which will be adapted to bereadily attached to the body or bed of a farm-wagon for enabling personsto enter and leave a wagon readily and which will be capable of foldingcompactly when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide wagon-steps which will becapable of readyadj ustment to suit theheight of awagon- 2o body andwhich will be adapted to be connected with either the ordinary wagon-bedor top box and which will be held firmly in position when subjected tothe weight of a person.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in thedrawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of portablewagon-steps constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar view, the steps being folded. Fig. Sisadetail perspective viewof one of the cuffs. v

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

l, 2, and 3 designate upper, lower, and in- 4o termediate sections, eachcomposed of side bars and steps connecting the same. The sections areadapted when extended to rest upon the ground and against a side or endof a wagon bed or body, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanyingdrawings, and they are also adapted to be folded compactly, asillustrated in Fig. 2. The upper section,which is provided near its topwith a cross-piece or rung 4, has hooks 5 at the upper ends of its 5osides for engaging over the upper edges of a wagon-body,and the saidupper section,whioh Serial No. 626,826. (No model.)

is adapted to fit against a wagon-body, is arranged vertically when inoperative position and braces the wagon-bed from the top to the bottomand is provided near its bottom with a step 6.

The sides of the upper section are provided at their lower ends withmetal straps or cuffs 7, projecting forward horizontally beyond thesides of the upper section and perforated to form ears for the receptionof pivots 8,which connect the upper terminals of the sides of theintermediate section 3 to the upper section. The straps or cuffs f7,which are substantially rectangular, are arranged on the inner and outerfaces of thesides of the upper section and extend around the inner orrear edges of the same, and the upper terminals of the sides of theintermediate section bear against the front edges of the sides of theupper section and are rounded to permit the intermediate section toswing upward readily for folding and to prevent binding.

The intermediate section,which has the upper and lower steps 9, isprovided near its bottom with metal straps or cuffs l0, projectingrearward from the sides of the intermediate section and perforated toform ears for the reception of pivots l1 of the lower section. The lowersection 2, which is provided with a step 12, is inclined, as shown inFig. 1,when in operative position and abuts against the rear edges ofthe lower ends of the sides of the intermediate section, bracing thesame and holding the intermediate section perfectly rigid. The upperends of the sides of the lower section are rounded, and the latter isadapted to fold backward against the intermediate section, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2.

When the wagon-steps are in operative position, as illustrated in Fig. lof the accompanying drawings, the upper section, which rests against thewagon body or box, is arranged vertically and the lower and intermediatesections extend outward at an inclination. The steps are adjustable tosuit the height of a wagon-body by varying the angle formed by the uppersection and the lower and intermediate sections, and when the steps aresubjected to the weight of a person they are firmly held in operativeposition and in engagement with the wagon-body.

IOO

The steps may be arranged either inside a wagon or on the ground tosupport the endgate for forming a seat, and when used for this purposethe sections are arranged at an angle to one another ordisposedzigzagly, with one side bar of each section resting upon the bottom ofthe wagon-body or upon the ground, so that the other side bars will liein a horizontal plane to receive the end-gate.

It will be clear that the following advantages result from the foldingsteps: The top section by restin vertically against the wagon body orbox and engaging the upper edges of the same braces the said body or boxfrom the top to the bottom. The steps are readily adjustable towagon-bodies of different heights by varying the angle formed by theupper section and the lower and intermediate sections, and the strain towhich the steps are subjected operates to hold them firmly in positionand in engagement with the wagonbody. They also possess lightness,strength, and durability and operate perfectly, and when not in use foldcompactly and occupy but a small amount of space.

lVhat we claim isl. Port-able wagoirsteps comprising an upper sectionprovided at the upper edges of its sides with devices for engaging thenpper edges of a wagon-body, perforated ears projecting forward from thelower ends of the sides of the upper section, the intermediate sectionhaving its sides pivoted to the perforated ears and adapted to swingnpward against the front edges of the sides of the upper section,perforated ears projecting rearward from the sides of the intermediatesection and located a short distance above the lower ends thereof, andthe lower section having its sides pivoted to the perforated ears of theintermediate section and arranged to abut against the rear edges of thesides of the same, said lower section being adapted to fold against theintermediate section, substantially as described.

2. Portable wagon-steps comprising an upper section provided withdevices for engaging a wagon-body, perforated ears projecting from thelower end to which an intermediate section is pivoted, perforated earsprojecting rearward from lower end of intermediate section, and a lowersection pivoted to the perforated ears of the intermediate section, saidupper and lower sections adapted to fold against the intermediatesection, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

OIIAS. l. THORNTON. VM. II. MOODY. litnessesz T. A. MoNRoE, A. T. DIXON.

